China key to sanctions against North Korea

★The United Nations Security Council on March 7 unanimously adopted a resolution that tightened sanctions against North Korea in response to its nuclear weapons test Feb. 12, its third such test.

Opposing the resolution, the country has hardened its attitude to the point of threatening a pre-emptive nuclear attack against the United States. North Korea's isolation will become deeper if it continues to ignore the international community's warnings about its development of missiles and nuclear weapons.

Even China, the benefactor of North Korea, supported the sanctions. Pyongyang should take the meaning of the sanctions very seriously and return to the six-party talks, which are aimed at denuclearizing North Korea, as soon as possible. ...

... What is different from the earlier U.N. sanctions against North Korea is that the new UNSC resolution obliges the U.S. member nations to take the actions specified by the resolution, instead of requesting them to do so.

Another critical difference is that China took part in writing the provisions of the resolution, indicating that Beijing feels that North Korea's long-range rocket launch in December and nuclear test in February made its new leader, Xi Jinping, lose face and that China has lost patience with North Korea. Pyongyang should take these facts seriously and realize that it is on the brink of complete isolation in the international community. ...

The international community, in the meantime, should make sure that the sanctions will be tight and effective. China's role is especially important since it accounts for more than 80 percent of North Korea's total trade.

Full implementation of the UNSC resolution by China will deliver a strong message to North Korea. Beijing should refrain from any actions that will weaken the sanctions.

- The Japan Times, Tokyo

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China key to sanctions against North Korea

The United Nations Security Council on March 7 unanimously adopted a resolution that tightened sanctions against North Korea in response to its nuclear weapons test Feb. 12, its third such test.